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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. bulb — for light
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. bulb — for light
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. cue — a hint
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. wake — a trail
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. wax — to grow
  15. board — to get on
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. cue — for pool
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. cue — a signal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. board — a committee
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. wake — before a funeral

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com